Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Large Type Edition
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]
Author:
Keyword(s):
Year:  Vol:  Page: 


This Article
Full Text
Full Text (PDF)
Alert me when this article is cited
Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Similar articles in this journal
Similar articles in PubMed
Alert me to new issues of the journal
Download to citation manager
Cited by other online articles
Google Scholar
Articles by Edwards, R. R.
Articles by Fillingim, R. B.
Articles citing this Article
PubMed
PubMed Citation
Articles by Edwards, R. R.
Articles by Fillingim, R. B.
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 56:M180-M185 (2001)
© 2001 The Gerontological Society of America

Age-Associated Differences in Responses to Noxious Stimuli

Robert R. Edwardsa and Roger B. Fillingima

a Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Roger B. Fillingim, University of Florida College of Dentistry, Public Health Services and Research, P.O. Box 100404, Gainesville, FL 32610 E-mail: rfillingim{at}dental.ufl.edu.

Decision Editor: William B. Ershler, MD

Background. Although population-based studies typically report age-associated increases in clinical pain, laboratory-based pain assessment procedures generally indicate diminished pain sensitivity with age. The majority of these studies have utilized noxious thermal stimuli as the method of pain induction. However, other pain assessment methodologies, including ischemic pain induction, may have a more meaningful relationship to clinical pain. The present study examined the effects of age on responses to a variety of experimental noxious stimuli. In addition, relationships between cardiovascular measures and pain responses were investigated in both older and younger subjects.

Methods. Responses to thermal, mechanical, and ischemic pain were assessed in 34 younger (mean age, 22.4 years) and 34 older adults (mean age, 62.2 years). In addition, relationships between resting blood pressure and pain responses were assessed separately for older and younger participants.

Results. Although group differences in thermal and mechanical pain responses did not achieve statistical significance, older individuals demonstrated substantially lower ischemic pain thresholds and tolerances assessed via the modified submaximal effort tourniquet procedure (ps < .01). Overall, higher resting arterial blood pressures were associated with increased pain thresholds and tolerances, although relationships between blood pressure and ischemic pain variables were evident only for the younger group.

Conclusions. These findings indicate that age-related differences in responses to experimental noxious stimuli vary as a function of the pain induction task, with older individuals showing greater sensitivity to clinically relevant stimuli. In addition, the absence of a relationship between blood pressure and ischemic pain responses in older adults may suggest potential functional decrements in at least one endogenous pain-modulatory system.




This article has been cited by other articles: (Search Google Scholar for Other Citing Articles)


Home page
Psychosom MedHome page
J. J. Gedney, T. L. Glover, and R. B. Fillingim
Sensory and Affective Pain Discrimination After Inhalation of Essential Oils
Psychosom Med, July 1, 2004; 66(4): 599 - 606.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]




HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
All GSA journals The Gerontologist
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Copyright © 2001 by The Gerontological Society of America.